We will recover – Wedson

Zambia national soccer team coach Wedson Nyirenda says he is disappointed with the result but remains positive of the team’s ability to recover in upcoming matches.

The Chipolopolo lost 2-1 at home to Nigeria in a 2018 Russia World Cup Group B opening fixture played at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola Sunday afternoon. It was Nyirenda’s first match in charge of the team.

The Super Eagles scored two first half goals through Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho, while Nyirenda’s men got theirnlone goal through Collins Mbesuma in the second half.

“We are rebuilding the team and at the same time expecting to qualify for the Fifa World Cup. We have brought new players to the team and I think they blended well with the old players,” said Nyirenda in a post-match interview.

“But most of all I am happy with the response we got from our fans. After conceding those two goals they continued to support us. That means that we have real Chipolopolo supporters. They went on until the last minute. Even when we missed those chances they kept on chanting for us.

“But football being what it is, the result today went the other way. I would like to assure our fans that we will compensate this loss in upcoming matches and give them what they deserve.”

And Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr said the first half went according
to plan.

“The result today is a reflection of what happened in the match. What happened in the first half is what we expected. We played well and we scored.

“In the second half Zambia was the better team. They pushed and pushed and they almost made it 2-2 but the spirit of our team is very good so we managed to defend until the end,” said Rohr.

The Chipolopolo’s next fixture is a tough away mach tto Cameroon in November.

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22 Responses to We will recover – Wedson

MWEENE KALABA! Frankly speaking their time is out! I have observed; Mweene always leaves his goal posts before opponents hit it in. This is always predictable. Why does Mweene rant so much, is it to defray blame from himself. If I were coach, Mweene would not feature in my team again. Captain Kalaba! He needs to use his eyes better and judge distances correctly and make the best shots. A world cup game is not a training session. By the way; why is this so called National Team not representative of all the provinces of this country. Please give other lads from Western, Southern and North-Western a chance. Select them too.

Honestly is this Zambia National Team or North Eastern Rhodesia National Team?
Even if Mweene is believed to be Tonga he is Bembalized being a ‘kopala swagger’. Collins Mbesuma(son of Francis Kajiya- a Lunda) is also Bembalized through his step-father whose name he bears & being a ‘kopala swagger’.

There is little competition as selection is lopsided towards NER yet resources from SWR are used to develop nonproductive/nonprofitable Muchinga. You can’t tell me that of all Tonga’s, Lozi’s, Kaondes, Lenje’s, Luvale’s, Lunda’s, Lamba’s etc found in Lusaka, Copperbelt & Countrywide they are all indifferent to playing football. Yet we used to have good players from amongst this group of people like:
a) Obby Kapita, Jones Chilengi, Derby Makinka, Francis Kajiya, Keneth/Mordon Malitoli, Aggrey Chiyangi, Robert Watiyakeni, Moses Masuwa (Lundas/Luvales)
b) Fanny Hangunyu, Dickson/Linos Makwaza, Happy Sichikolo (Tongas)
c) Nyambe Mulenga(Lozi&Bemba)
d) Gibby Mbasela (Lamba) etc. You can add to the list.

Now suddenly can somebody tell me all these ethnic groups have suddenly becomeindifferent to playing football even when they live on CB & LSK?

everything IS ABOUT CORRUPTION, NEPOTISM AND WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT? EVEN IN FOOTBALL, NAMES ARE BEING CONSIDERED IN THIS DUNUNA REVERSE ERA. THERE WILL BE NO HA, HI THIS TIME. NO WAJILA, NO WHATSOVER THEY WILL BE LUNGU, BANDA, BWALYA, MULENGA, MUTALE, KALABA…SUCH NAMES SOUND ‘MORE ZAMBIAN THATN OTHERS’. DUNUNA REVERSE. ONLY YESTER YEAR’S KK11 HAD THE LIKES OF HANGUNYU, KAODI KAUSHI, CHILENGI, KAJIYA (MBESUMA’S FATHER), MUSELEPETE, MUNGWA, AND SO ON BLENDED WITH CHANDA, PHIRI, MULENGA, CHABALA, KAPELE KATUMPA,MWANZA…ALL SINGING THE GREAT ANTHEM ‘ONE LAND AND ONE NATION IS OUR CRY…’.

How were all those names I have listed above identified then? Probably because used to have expatriate coaches(Ante Buseric, Poulsen, Potterfield & off couserse non tribal local like Ndhlovu & Chitalu) who looked at quality and not ethnic origins.

But the coming on the scene of local coaches under PF everything is tribal. Even Winston Kalengo & Goalkeeper Munyau only found lucky with tribal Cousin coaches George Lwandamina(Kaonde) and Honour Janza(Tonga).

@surprised, will differ with you on Mweene but agree on Kalaba, the day you put Kalaba as captain that’s the you trapped yourselves, its like you cannot even substitute him by virtue of captaincy. Kalaba gets frustrated easily and is not commited enough fighting for balls. Fwayo was the greatest performer and should not have been removed, worst culprit was Chama in defence. We have a good team better than the team of chicken George. Nigeria is on another level, there is nothing to cry for over the loss, its just a bitter lesson we leant. Over the next matches, tell your guys, need 100% concentration under a highly pressurised atmosphere. All our opponents are highly exposed. And please do not start with Chama, kondwani proved a better option, start substituting Kalaba and Sinkala too. These are slower only have experience which is sometime costly.

mweene made silly mistakes. I think he needs to be replaced. He has outlived. more than 10 yrs as a keeper. There are other young ones who can do much better. let’s not use names please. let’s try others who are still flexible. Age has caught up with him

when the coach talks, he is supposed not to just say supporters u have done a good job, keep it up. No. The coach is supposed to inspire Zambians and supporters by singling out the mistakes he will next time address. Not just saying we are still in it we will recover. Yes we are all confident and positive but the coach must show that he is on top of things by challenging us with the strategy for next time. Where were the weaknesses where were the strengths? For me I saw people who seemed to be uncomfortable as if it is not home ground. Such need to come in only as substitutes. I also witnessed a fighting spirit only in second half. Why not adopt that from the word go? Also why not select the team better by using the team that scored 1:0 in second half rather than the one that made 0:2 in first half? Zambians always want to fight when time is up and this they have done over and over why? It must be a coaching problem. Also lack of precision whether on goal or passes. It is a sign of either wrong choices or fear that the president is watching? Mbesuma and Fwayo including goal keeper looked more at home, others played in a world of their own which they are not at home with. But Zambia can still make it if they play like during second half. They are world cup material.

Again one small comment I know am not a football expert. But how after a goal keeper has left the goal, how does the nearest defender go towards the goal again? Is he going to use his hands? If he ran towards the young man with the ball to disturb him I wonder if the second goal would have been scored. coach should play that game before them again and clearly demonstrate that this should have been at worst 1:1 at best infact 2 or 3 :1 in Zambia’s favour.

Nkausu mbola and Joseph Musonda must be recalled to the defence,Chama must be far away from National team ,refer him to cosafa only.
Christopher Katongo and Lubambo Musonda to be recalled, Rodger Kola useless its only Names left,

The biggest problem on Zambian teams is use of language of Bemba and Nyanja,any upcoming player from other region other than Bemba /Nyanja speaking region will be frustrated by communication treatment both from bembalised coach or bembalised players,most of these players they don’t like English or other players languages as a result frustration and misunderstanding ,the moment we get a non Bemba/nyanja speaking local coach the better.

if there is any player available with the qualities of playing in the National team from the tribes you have mentioned i would be the first one to agree that they be included in the team. If they are there bring them to the coach for assessment and if they prove them selves they can play for Zambia. Believe me you no coach would reject a world class player who is ready to deliver the results once he is available. Any coach be it at club level are everyday looking for such players. So bwana tell us the names of those players and where we can find them. Lastly the National team is not a cabinet where the President appoints ministers considering tribal balancing. This approach can not be used in football otherwise you will end up sidelining good players just to satisfy other regions. So Zambia forward and not tribes forward.

You chaps, is there anything to be turned into tribalism here? This is football and thus do not turn it into politics or tribalism, ok! No wonder you chaps are the ones who are guilt of tribalism. Talk about the lack of skill and not tribal names. Fuck-off!